Night without Borders

Chapter 422 The Isolated Island of the World
In Crimson Cloud City, Qin Ming glanced up casually and caught a chilling glimpse of someone smiling at him in the night sky.

That was... a head.

Her hair was very long and fluttered in the night wind. If you didn't look closely, it looked like a large snake slithering through the night fog!

Qin Ming possessed the Eye of New Life, allowing him to see clearly and even discern her subtle expressions.

This is a woman, her face deathly pale. She was severed at the neck, the wound fresh and wet with blood, seemingly still dripping crimson liquid. Her long black hair was soaked in the blood.

As she passed by, she seemed to sense something and smiled sweetly at Qin Ming.

A woman's head, traversing the night sky alone—what a chilling sight. The foggy world grows ever more incomprehensible.

Qin Ming's eyes were deep as he watched her walk away.

Soon after, he saw a crimson coffin, tattered and covered with scratches and teeth marks, with a black and withered human hand stuck in the coffin lid, floating across the night sky.

Qin Ming looked surprised. Was the situation really that serious?
Fortunately, the head with blood-stained black hair and the ancient coffin flew over the night sky outside the city, avoiding the most popular places.

However, if things continue to develop like this, something terrible is bound to happen.

Qin Ming had only been practicing his skills behind closed doors for a few days when he came out and saw such a "night view," which made his heart sink slightly.

"What is the dark, no-man's-land like now without fire springs?" Qin Ming thought that such a place was probably deserted and difficult to survive in.

He went to see Meng Xinghai and learned that the wilderness was becoming increasingly dangerous, and if things continued like this, the cities might become isolated islands.

Scattered villages and towns will become islands and reefs.

In the deep darkness of night, more and more terrifying incidents occur.

“Even the road to Shuangshu Village is quite difficult to travel,” the Thunder King Bird said. It had gone back a couple of days ago, and its feathers were ruffled the whole way because a pale hand suddenly reached out from the night sky and touched its head.

At that moment, it felt a chill in its heart and its scalp tingled, as if it had been electrocuted.

"Was the fall of Yujing really that significant?" Qin Ming frowned.

Meng Xinghai said, "It's very possible that this is the true nature of the world, and it is gradually returning to its original state."

If that's the case, it's too early to complain about how terrible the environment is. Looking to the future, we may very well be living in a very good time.

"It's chilling to think about!" Qin Ming said.

He then mentioned the possibility of a large-scale migration of people from Yezhou to other regions.
Meng Xinghai said, "Strange phenomena are gradually appearing in the distant northern wilderness, the eastern lands, and the demon-inhabited areas to the west."

Qin Ming was shocked. In just a few days, the situation had already spread to beyond the borders.

Meng Xinghai shook his head and said, "Perhaps, what they are doing is merely lifting the terrifying veil of the night fog, allowing the true nature of the world to emerge."

This means that the entire area influenced by Yujing is about to undergo a complete transformation.

Qin Ming asked, "What about places further away?"

"According to Tucheng, there are peaceful lands outside the territory ruled by Yujing, but there are also vast foreign lands that are worse than ours."

Even in those terrible areas, the situation is different from that in Night State; there aren't frequent horror and bizarre events.

Overall, the world of Night Fog is too vast to be fully explored, and the conditions vary greatly from place to place, exhibiting fundamental differences.

Meng Xinghai said, "It is very difficult to open up a path outside the radiation zone of Yujing now, but some of the patriarchs are still trying their best."

If the situation deteriorates, perhaps the only option will be for the entire clan to migrate.

However, it's easier said than done. Relocating even a single city or town is extremely complicated, let alone an entire prefecture—it's simply unimaginable.

"How much have you gained from your training?" Meng Xinghai asked.

Qin Ming said, "It's alright. The three great skills are just one step away from perfection, but they still need some polishing."

Meng Xinghai exclaimed in surprise, "The progress is so fast?"

Qin Ming smiled and said, "These are all the results of my daily accumulation. I hope that the Golden Silkworm Scripture, the Wuji Scripture, and the River Network Scripture are as extraordinary as the legends say, and that they exist in secret."

In fact, he had already figured it out, but he was still missing something that was hard to explain, perhaps some kind of mysterious opportunity.

The Five Elements Secret Manual: Lu Zizai helped him obtain the ultimate version of the "Staying in the World Scripture" from the Cui family, while he himself, while practicing the "Li Huo Scripture," saw a new world and obtained the "Nanming Li Huo Scripture."

As for his practice of the Golden Cicada Scripture and the secret manual of the Divine Cicada Scripture obtained after seeing the hidden treasure, its subsequent connection is to the Great Thunder Sound Scripture, which no longer belongs to the Five Elements category.

Meng Xinghai was somewhat moved and said, "Back then, I gave you the Golden Silkworm Scripture, intending to introduce you to the Five Elements Palace after you mastered it, so that you could continue their Five Elements Secret Manual. I never expected that you would be able to obtain the manual by yourself once you reached the perfect level."

He did say in the past that once Qin Ming mastered the Golden Silkworm Scripture, he would introduce him to an even more powerful scripture.

Qin Ming asked, "What's wrong with the red squirrel?"

Meng Xinghai has been closely monitoring it for the past few days.

"It seems to be completely stable now. Apart from the change in its physical form, there are no other negative changes. Its physical constitution and talent have been greatly improved. It can be considered a change of fate."

These past two days, Yuque has been impatient and wants to "transform" as well.

Yu Que said, "Mountain Master, you don't know, three squirrels attacked me together, and I was terribly beaten. If it were in the past, I could have beaten ten of them!"

The most astonishing thing, of course, is that the red squirrel's training speed has increased.

Qin Ming said, "To be on the safe side, let's wait a few more days."

He went to practice the extraordinary skill again, hoping to break through the barrier as soon as possible.

A few days later, Qin Ming walked out of the courtyard, his brows furrowed, and muttered to himself, "Something's not right."

He believed that the three extraordinary skills he had practiced had reached a state of perfection, but he had never seen a new world.

To this end, Meng Xinghai made difficult correspondence with people in the distance and asked them to check, confirming that the Heluo Jing, Jincan Jing, and Wuji Jing were all connected to the secret scriptures.

Qin Ming pondered: "Could it be because the overall environment has changed, and it's different from the world of the past, making it difficult to see a new world?"

Then he began to recall the "Buddha's Handbook" that Xiang Yiwu had shown him.

Back when he, Xiao Wu, and Xiang Yiwu were in the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty, they had exchanged some scriptures.

This notebook is filled with practical advice.

"Hmm, to see new worlds and obtain secret treasures, a special environment might be needed?" Qin Ming noticed something amiss. The Tathagata's Notebook briefly mentioned: "A suitable location may be required."

The vague hint in these four words is outrageously simple.

Qin Ming recalled his state when practicing the "Li Huo Jing" and "Jin Chan Jing," and wondered why he was able to successfully enter a new world.

"It seems there is indeed a trigger, a condition that secretly coincides with it."

He mastered the "Separation of Fire Scripture" and had a significant connection with the Sun Elf race, having absorbed their solar fire.

When he practiced the Golden Cicada Scripture, he specifically chose the Thunderfire Refining Hall, which had once received the light of thunder and fire. The ultimate true scripture of this scripture was located in the Great Thunderclap Temple.

"The secret text following the 'River Collateral Classic' is the 'Overturning Sea Classic.' If that's the case, it would be most suitable for me to practice this extraordinary skill near the sea." Qin Ming was a little confused. Where in Yezhou was there a sea?
The nearest Western Sea is even more than the dwelling place of demons, and is at least a million miles away from Night State.

By analogy, practicing the "Wuji Jing" probably requires a place with extremely rich earth essence, while practicing the "Jincan Jing" is best done in a large metal mine.

However, the Golden Silkworm Scripture is quite complex, and its original version originated from the demon race.

The land and gold are relatively easy to find; Qin Ming should be able to use his connections to locate them. But where is he supposed to find the "sea"?

"Hmm?" Suddenly, he thought of a possibility: Night Market was close to the real world, and the old traveling merchants and the ants that had disappeared were appearing in various places. Could he enter Night Market to see Hai?

I just don't know if there's a real sea in that kind of place.

Qin Ming thought it was feasible; if all went smoothly, it would be much faster than risking a trip to the Western Sea.

He perked up and said, "If I'm lucky enough, I might be able to find the sea I need as soon as I enter the Night Market with an old traveling merchant."

That same day, Qin Ming left the city and entered the dark, uninhabited area. There, he encountered a disheveled monster and immediately rushed up and gave him a sound beating.

The ghostly-faced monster was dumbfounded; someone had actually provoked it?

Unfortunately, even after Qin Ming shattered it and it disappeared into a stream of cold air, it did not return to Night Ruins, suggesting that it was a monster born in Night State.

"You only realize how little you have when you need it!" Qin Ming found it absurd. The more he searched, the less he could find. All the monsters and ghosts were "natives."

Meng Xinghai, who was behind him, watched in silence.

In the end, they returned to the city empty-handed.

As soon as the two returned, Yuque looked at them expectantly and said, "Mountain Lord, Hansong is not feeling unwell at all, so can we eat the precious bamboo shoots now?"

"Okay!" Qin Ming nodded and, together with Lao Meng, helped it and the Thunder King Bird protect each other. In the process, they also helped them cut off the wisps of chaotic consciousness hidden in the bamboo shoots.

"So hungry!"

Soon after, the Thunder King Bird and the Whispering Sparrow, which had been wolfing down their food, began to transform.

They transformed into three-headed, six-winged creatures, and also developed a third claw, all of which greatly increased their strength.

The most astonishing change in the Thunder King Bird is its speed, which allows it to streak across the night sky like a streak of light.

After the bird underwent a comprehensive upgrade, it first lowered its head and used its third claw to part its feathers to examine them closely.

Without a doubt, both birds have had their fates changed, and their original potential has been unlocked!

"Even the Thunder King Bird isn't necessarily faster than me, nor is it as strong!" the Thunder King Bird exclaimed in delight.

Yu Que was even more excited and said, "I think Little Que has the potential to become the Feather Emperor!"

……

"How are those people in the mountains?" Qin Ming asked after they calmed down.

"Something terrible has happened!" Meng Xinghai said, adding that he had been keeping a close eye on the matter and that the news from the bird enthusiasts was alarming.

In the night fog, a floating vermilion coffin drifted into the deep mountains and swallowed the old man who led the team from the East. The entire team eventually lost contact.

Qin Ming was astonished. A few days ago, he had seen a human head and a coffin covered in scratches, which crossed the night sky and disappeared into the distance. Could it be that coffin?

"Yes!" Meng Xinghai nodded solemnly after hearing his description. Qin Ming said, "Forget it, let's not go into the mountains for the time being. The blood ginseng we brought back doesn't seem to be a good medicine. That place doesn't look like a good place at all. Only the red and golden bamboo forests are relatively sacred and peaceful."

He then asked, "How is the desolate area in the Black and White Mountains? Haven't the creatures there gone out to sweep away the strange things in the vicinity?"

That was the lair of the Beast God, and also Liu Mo's former training ground. Top experts still reside there today.

"The current situation is dire; they're struggling to survive and things aren't going well," Meng Xinghai told us.

Deep within the desolate lands lie unique scenes and mysterious phenomena, which have become clearer to this day, confirming that they are all rooted in the Night Ruins.

Some Jedi Realms are now almost adjacent to, or even connected to, Nightfall!

Furthermore, the various forbidden lands produce top-tier medicinal herbs such as the "Earth Immortal Flower," attracting the attention of Earth Immortals from Tu City and beyond, as well as the patriarchs of Yezhou, making the situation extremely complex.

A few days later, Meng Xinghai looked serious. Chixia City was really going to become an isolated island, with almost all contact with the major cities outside the city cut off. If he sent out ten letters, he would be lucky to get a reply.

If this continues, they will be completely cut off from the outside world within ten days.

He said in a deep voice, “Like an isolated island in the world, all towns will be in the same situation; the situation is extremely dire!”

Qin Ming also looked solemn. He and Meng Xinghai stood on the city wall and looked out. In just a moment, they saw a headless corpse drift away from the night sky.

"According to the timeline, winter has already passed, but why hasn't the ice and snow melted yet? The fire spring is reviving rather slowly."

Four days later, Meng Xinghai, who had been eagerly awaiting his arrival, finally received a letter from afar. He was incredibly excited when he opened it, and his voice rose high.

"The fire spring can repel ghosts, spirits, and other monsters!"

This is the proclamation of the patriarchs of Tucheng and Yezhou to the world: if spring fails to revive as promised, the entire land will turn into permanent frozen soil, which is no different from the underworld.
"Now, all parties need to work together to dig out the underground springs and disperse the icy air currents, which may allow all kinds of terrifying phenomena to recede!"

Some regions are already doing this, and the results are obvious.

Some geomancers believe that the arrival of various mysterious scenes, as if the underworld were approaching, has slowed down the revival of the fire spring. Now, everyone needs to take the initiative to dig and scare away all kinds of demons, ghosts, and monsters.

"The devil may be one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall. There's nothing to fear!"

That same day, Meng Xinghai ordered that the roads connecting to the various towns be cleared first.

Qin Ming was the first to respond. He wanted to open up a safe road to Shuangshu Village, even though he knew that nothing would probably happen there, he still wanted to be on the safe side.

Without a doubt, our ancestors carefully selected the places where there were human settlements; there would be no shortage of underground springs.

Qin Ming marched towards Shuangshu Village, bombarding the earth with his divine light along the way, creating numerous fiery springs.

Thunderbird, lark, and red squirrel were also very helpful, assisting him.

Behind them, the fire, like a candle flame, flickered and dispelled the darkness, and then those terrible things indeed descended suddenly.

Clearly, the most dangerous area was the desert region. When Qin Ming and his group passed through there, they encountered serious trouble and were constantly attacked.

In the desert, a fierce wind arose, sand waves crashed against the sky, and darkness completely swallowed everything; nothing could be seen.

Qin Ming and his group originally intended to open up a road in the mountains, but they encountered this incident while only venturing out nearby.

“Awooo…” They heard a chilling roar.

"Something's coming!" Yuque exclaimed.

Qin Ming instructed the Thunder King Bird to protect the finches and red squirrels, worried that the two little ones might be swept away by the hurricane.

He himself charged into the towering sandstorm and fought fiercely with the monster.

It was a colossal creature, ten meters tall, with a pair of enormous wings, and wielding two gleaming broadswords.

Is this a 聻? Qin Ming hoped it was. He wanted to enter the Night Ruins to search for the sea, and now that he had encountered such a demon or monster that he could fight, he immediately attacked.

Amidst the sandstorm, blades flashed, Qin Ming wielded a jade iron sword in his left hand and a measuring ruler in his right, locked in a fierce battle with his opponent.

Although the sand dunes obstructed his view, he could sense that the creature was burly, with a black face and fangs.

During their fierce battle, a voice that could be understood could be heard coming from the sand: "It hurts so much, my teeth are going to break!"

Qin Ming was taken aback, a sense of déjà vu washing over him, the voice sounded somewhat familiar. Then, in surprise, he exclaimed, "The Palm Pig?"

"Pah! Who's insulting your grandpa pig?" a muffled voice rang out.

Qin Ming was stunned. It really was him. Two years ago, the other party had helped him, and the two had walked together in the desert.

As time went by, Qin Ming almost forgot about its aura. He never expected that it would still be in the desert.

"We're on the same side!" he quickly called out.

"My own pig?" The palm-sized pig stopped and left the desert area with Qin Ming, arriving at a calm place outside.

Qin Ming chuckled. There were no huge wings at all; they were just the large ears of the Palm Pig, which it had intentionally modified to the maximum extent, almost drooping to the ground, so that when it flapped, it could fly and be used as wings.

Its pair of gleaming broadswords were forged from the fangs in its mouth.

"It's you, kid! It's only been a little over two years, and your cultivation is already catching up with mine?" The Palm Pig was shocked, staring at the young man in front of him in disbelief.

"What's going on with you?" Qin Ming asked.

The Palm-Sized Pig explained, "I planned to settle down in the desert and cultivate here, but now the world is changing drastically, and monsters appear from time to time. I was practicing my skills just now and thought that gods and ghosts were approaching again."

Qin Ming said, "You can visit Chixia City; it's very safe there."

"I'd better not go. I've already explored this area using my spiritual powers, and this place is the most suitable for me. I've already planted a divine wisdom mark on it, and I won't leave until I reach the sixth realm." The Palm Pig has already developed a portion of its cultivation and taken root in the desert.

Qin Ming talked with it for a long time, asking it to keep an eye on the road and ensure the safety of people walking at night.

Finally, Qin Ming successfully cleared the road leading to Shuangshu Village. It was indeed relatively safe there. The fire spring at the village entrance had unknowingly reached level three, its light shining brilliantly.

He did not linger and returned to Crimson Cloud City that same day, as he still needed to find the place to break through the barrier.

He already had a goal: to go to the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty and ask the Fourth Princess Yao Ruoxian for help.

Qin Ming believed that within an imperial dynasty, there must be large rare metal mines that could meet his needs, and he should also be able to find them in places rich in earth essence.

As for finding the sea in the Night Ruins, that would require leveraging connections among acquaintances.

"What? You're going to see the princess? That's wonderful!" The Thunder King Bird was very excited. It had now undergone a complete transformation and longed to see the Fourth Princess's mount, a Thunder King Bird, which was also its one-sided "white moonlight."

"Wake up, stop licking like that!" Qin Ming tapped it.

The Thunder King Bird was very excited and said, "I have changed my fate and am now stronger than it!"

Qin Ming said, "If you come with me, you'll end up as a chicken on many sections of the road."

“No problem!” Even though many places are inaccessible by air, the Thunder King Bird is willing to travel far.

……

In Chixia City, Meng Xinghai received the latest news and felt heavy-hearted. He informed Qin Ming that the situation varied greatly in different places, and some areas had fallen.

"Some cities were swallowed by darkness and shrouded in inexplicable bizarre phenomena!"

"Hiss!" Qin Ming was shocked. Had the overall environment deteriorated to this extent?
Meng Xinghai said, "The good news is that digging out the fire springs is indeed effective, and the situation in many places is changing."

In the past few days, the ice and snow in Crimson Cloud City have begun to melt.

Meng Xinghai continued, "The Earth Immortals of Tu City and the patriarchs of various paths have issued orders that those cities that have lost their city lords and are in imminent danger need help from all sides."

Moreover, whoever saves a city that has lost its ability to defend itself can immediately become its lord, and the title can be passed down to future generations.

"A city bestowed upon him?" Qin Ming's expression turned solemn upon hearing this. Just how bad must things have gotten for the higher-ups to offer such an astonishing "bounty"?

Meng Xinghai said, "Three hundred miles away, the high-ranking officials of Mingyao City went into the mountains to search for divine medicine and never returned. They probably all died outside."

It was a large city with a population of about 1.3 million, but now it has lost its lord.

Meng Xinghai wanted to build a road connecting to that place because Chixia City was too remote, and all kinds of daily necessities had to pass through there, so he could not allow the city to fall.

Qin Ming said, "Alright, I was just about to go out for a while. I'll help Uncle Meng clear out the night roads this time."

Along the short 300-mile journey, demons and monsters roamed freely. Qin Ming even summoned his pet pig, asking it for help.

It was an exception, managing to leave the desert.

Meng Xinghai was covered in blood and fought desperately on the road.

Qin Ming used various exotic metal weapons, as this material is indeed effective against evil.

Even at crucial moments, he would summon a tattered cloth in a deserted place, its light, blessed by the old cloth, shining like the sun.

Even creatures like the worm were burned to ashes.

"There is a sea in the Night Ruins, but the area near Crimson Cloud City is not connected to the ocean." This was the information Qin Ming obtained after fighting his way through and killing three old traveling merchants.

It took Qin Ming, Meng Xinghai, and Zhangshang Mingzhu five full days to clear the 300-mile journey and finally arrive outside Mingyao City.

They also cleared out the area outside the city, and after a bloody journey, they finally dragged their exhausted bodies into the city.

"Brother Meng, thank you for your help." When they entered the city, someone led a group to greet them.

Meng Xinghai was taken aback, then recognized him as Cui Ming, the elder brother of Cui Qi, the father of Cui Chonghe, and a member of the main branch of the thousand-year-old aristocratic family.

Qin Ming naturally recognized Cui Ming at a glance, with many members of the Cui family following behind him.

Cui Ming was tall and imposing, with striking features and a handsome appearance. He smiled broadly and said, "Without Brother Meng's help, our city would have fallen."

Meng Xinghai immediately had a bad feeling and said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this? This city was rescued by us."

“Brother, you are mistaken. We took control of this city several days ago,” Cui Ming said with a smile.

They did arrive ahead of schedule, but they did not clear any dangerous objects from the surrounding area because they were unsure of their abilities and had no achievements to speak of.

"You're shameless!" Meng Xinghai said in a deep voice. Not long ago, when they were clearing the dangers outside the city, this group of people didn't even bother to show their faces. Now they have the nerve to claim credit and want to take over the city.

"To claim credit for something that belongs to Heaven is utterly shameless!" Qin Ming even picked up the black jade hammer, almost pressing it against Cui Ming's face.

(End of this chapter)